Having the opportunity to go abroad and work alongside members of a different country in attaining local solutions to local issues, is an experience that is rivalled by very little. I love to travel and I love to meet and interact with new people, so this fellowship is truly glorious opportunity! With that in mind, it is a fellowship. This is more than just leisure travel (instagraming new foods, visiting tourist attractions, and isolating myself in a hostel). This is a chance for me to learn, to grow, and to make a truly lasting impact on the lives of many. But what does this mean? When and how does this happen? For such general, and personal phenomena, only I am truly capable of knowing if I’ve accomplished this. Even then, by what metrics am I to verify my success? It’s best to establish goals that are verifiable by anyone, and not just myself. Below is a list of SMART goals that I have set for myself, during my time in Salta.
Language: After returning from my time in Argentina, I would like to confidently say that I am fluent in Spanish. I have studied Spanish on and off, but next spring (2018) I will take the Rice CLIC Spanish Language Certificate exam. It is my goal to pass that exam using the Spanish practice that I get during my time in Salta. Passing this exam is document proof that I am fluent in the Spanish language.
Country: Culturally, I am lacking in awareness when it comes to Argentina, especially a specific city. My goal is, before arriving to Salta (May 22) to know any major celebrations (festivals, and holidays) that will take place during my 9 weeks. More specifically, I will know: if the holiday is celebrated. Is it like the 4th of July in the USA? Or more like Cinco de Mayo in Mexico (not very celebrated)? Why is it important? What is the origin of the celebration (the historical figures or movements that represent it)? How is the event celebrated? Is it a large parade that I should dress for? Or is it a quiet intimate house dinner where specific attire is required? This will make my acclimation into the community much easier if I can be more casual and less oblivious towards their customs and cultures. Celebrations are a huge component of any community.
Social Issue: My service work will be geared toward working with community members to tackle social issues that exist within the community (sexual health, education, and drug rehabilitation). This includes working with community members to cooperatively construct plans that result in the most equal benefit for all effected parties. If this is to be accomplished, I will need to know the issues that exist in Salta. It is not possible for me to learn all of this before arriving. Not just because of time, but also because much of the facts can only be obtained through personal experience and require that I witness it for myself. That being said, before arriving, I should still be capable of knowing the basics of the dilemmas. Before my arrival, I aspire to know the three most recent changes in policies regarding sexual health, education, and drug usage in Salta. This is so that I can compare the de jure to the de facto of social issues, and have technical tools (knowledge of any legal limitations) needed to effectively construct a plan to combat them.
Service/Research: Of course I want to be effective, I want to make a noticeable difference and powerful impact on the lives of those in Salta. However, it’s important that I quantify what this means. How can a personal impact be measured? It’s best to asses it based on tangible progress of service performed. Even with this, my service work is not an engineering project where something will physically be constructed. Not, it is working with others to address non tangible issues. For that reason, I decided to measure my progress, and thus my impact, based on how the autonomy of the Salta community members. My goal is that by the 7th week, the community members are capable of independently creating, implementing, and developing any solutions to their own issues, using the methods that we (myself included) developed together. Basically, I will know that I have made an impact when they no longer need me and can arrive to effective and attainable solutions on their own. This could be in the form of a town hall meeting, locally led AA meetings, or regularly scheduled sex ed classes.
Personal: The service is not about me. First and foremost it is for the benefit of the community of Salta. That being said, for me to experience such an opportunity and emerge unchanged would be a shame (and impossible). Right now I am uncertain about the career path I want for myself. I am looking into a job in international relations (Foreign Service Office (FSO), the United Nations, or USA diplomacy). However, I have never had any experience to verify or deny that these paths are right for me. The Loewenstern fellowship is my chance! I can finally see if this is where I belong, if this is how I want to live my life. This is by every definition, Foreign Service. By the end of the program, I will confirm or deny whether Foreign Service is an appropriate path for me. Additionally, I will make it my goal to learn about United States Foreign Service in Argentina (the USA embassy and Consulate there). I will speak with someone about the steps needed to become and FSO, and what can be expected on the job.
Pre-Service: My pre-arrival goals all fit into the category of knowing the invariable facts. Of course there are things that cannot be understood from a Wikipedia page (food tastes, slang, and cultural mannerisms). However, some facts (government regimes, holidays, locations) can be learned beforehand. My goals are to learn these facts. That way, when I get there, I can assimilate myself into the community as easily as possible! Only this way can I be effective. Outsiders aren’t effective. Always asking why and how a culture does what it does widens the gap between foreigners and locals. Having knowledge beforehand will limit the questions I have to ask, and minimize the gap between us!
In-country: while there, my goal is to be effective, but it’s also to work with (not for) the community. I don’t know everything, and neither do they. It’s important that we are always on the same level of power and that we rise at the same rate. I am going to get work done, measureable work. I aim to see that my labor is fruitful and that the community is benefiting from what I contribute. Because I am in the sector of social issues, and not physical construction, it’s hard to measure that progress, but though evaluations of self-proficiency, my progress can be quantified.
Post service: upon my arrival, my goals are all personal. I want to have become fluent in Spanish and pass the language certificate exam offered by the university in order to verify this. Also, I want to have taken a giant step towards my future in terms of career goals. Having confirmed or denied whether Foreign Service (which includes the United Nations and USA diplomacy) is my passion will dictate the next months after I arrive. This is the time that I will decide if I apply to graduate school or industry. Do I go abroad or stay in the states. This trip, and the nuances that it will provide can potentially dictate the flow of the rest of my life.